I'm disappointed that Biden is now not in the running for Sec of State with an Obama administration. I am also sad to say that I think Hillary would have been a smarter choice for Obama from an election perspective. I can't stand the Clintons, but as someone who wants to see Obama elected part of me wishes he had selected Hillary. Don't get me wrong- I think she'd make a terrible VP (always stealing the spotlight along with her hubby), but I think it would have earned him votes. I can't believe I jsut said I wished he selected Hillary. This is the pragmatist in me speaking and the idealist in me just cried a little.

The least disruptive way to change a system is to do so from inside the system. Biden's experience in the senate gives Obama the traction to do so.Re Hillary, choosing her would have been like choosing a time-bomb as VP. No, make that two time-bombs (i.e., Bill) Not to mention her HUGE negatives.Re choosing Jesus (thanks, Martin, for the grin), he was an extreme liberal hippie. I can't imagine for a moment a single "conservative" Christian Republican voting for the J-Man and his socialist agenda:* Re the poor: Whatsoever you do unto the least of my children, so you do unto me.* Re crime and punishment: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.* Re sparking unprovoked war: Love thine enemy/turn the other cheek* Re taxes: Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.And just check out the hippy-dippy hairstyle, sandals, and organic clothing...

What this reinforces to me is the extent that campaign watchers want sex from Obama, and are disappointed when all they get is polite conversation.Biden's an unexciting choice. He's a Washington insider that doesn't tick off any faction of the Democrat Party. Richardson would have been a good policy choice, and might have fit the "change" mantra. He wouldn't have been a good attack guy. He seems more like a Chief of Staff.To the extent it's important he would have really got under the skin of Hillary supporters. That would have been nice to see just for entertainment value.

Biden does strengthen the Democratic ticket's foreign policy credentials. With respect to the Russian aspect of their future foreign policy, there is an interesting suggestion from Steve Levine. The Russians have a big weakness. Obama and Biden should keep in mind Russia's Achilles Heel as they deal with Putin and Medvedev. Levine knows this area, having covered wars in Chechnya, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Tajikistan as well as the Soviet-Afghan war: http://oilandglory.com/2008/08/russias-achilles-heel.html

Go back to the early days after September 11th -- Biden was appearing on a news show (can't recall which -- CNN? This Week?) as an "informed" foreign affairs expert. His thought (there was only one)"We have to get the Paks in line!" Really? That's a solution? Sounds like old fashioned strong arming to me, not change I can believe in. He's a grandstander who likes the mirror more than a quiet moment of real reflection. A poor choice. Carl Levin would have been better, even Chris Dodd. Instead, Obama chose to fill in perceived gaps rather than chart his own course. Given the other choice available to me, the Obama/Biden ticket will still get my vote, but Obama's first serious decision smacks of pedestrian, craven, and highly conventional thinking. Not a good start ...

Picking Biden is a bit like sticking an extra defender on when you're 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go. It's the 'safe choice' but actually brings its own risks in changing the nature of the game. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but often it doesn't have that big an effect.

To me, an independent with conservative leanings who's fed up with Republican politics as usual, the Biden choice serves as a clear reminder that for all the talk of change and reform, the Democrats still stand for their version of politics as usual, which is just as unappetizing to me as the republican version

Biden..Is a good choice if he can stay on message. He will show that he is the Heavyweight of the ticket. The Flyweight of the ticket 'O' can float like a Butterfly but he Can't sting like a Bee.By October the Democrats will wish that Heavyweight Biden was at the top of the ticket.Woe is 'O'.

My first impression of Biden years ago was that he was thoughtful and intelligent. Then I heard more. He has sadly fallen into the US Senate black hole, in which every request for a cup of coffee requires five minutes of preamble. His love of his own voice scares me. When quick thinking is required, such men generally freeze up and consider what will make them look best.

I second Ben's comments regarding Colin Powell and Bill Richardson, and (partially because I'm from Nebraska) was actually kind of excited about Hegel, though their divergent views on abortion and women's choice really do seem too stark a divide to me. Hillary is too ambitious to be VP, as well as perhaps a bit too qualified. I really can't see how that ticket wouldn't be uncomfortable.Obama has yet to lose the race; McCain has yet to win it. Let's wait for the debates. The emperors still have clothes until then.

Obama's weakness was in plain sight. You don't a "sign" to tell you that he's vulnerable on national security or that he's failed to connect with working class white voters. If you do, then you were either in denial--or had been getting your election news exclusively from Andrew Sullivan's blog.

From a purely practical look at why Biden>Clinton I would simply go with this simply statement: the ticket is about Obama as president, not Hillary as the "almost-sort-of-just-shy-of-the-nomination" VP and in order for Obama to run a campaign to get himself elected on his own merits and not on the coattails of Hillary he needed someone who would console her voters (which by now are surely less than the peak of 18 million) yet not seize the narrative of the campaign. Also, Barack Obama is currently leading the polls in Ohio, Penn., and is even within the margin of error of taking Virginia (more electoral votes there than WV last time i checked), I think the only state that Hillary would have put in play that is not now would be Florida.As for putting the words "irrelevant bitch" into the mouth of Obama, well that is purely speculation on your part and you are welcome to it. I think personal distaste had something to do with his choice, but the man is trying to win an election and not make new best buddies with the runner up in the Democratic primaries.